Rockets to go with Dwight Howard, Omer Asik as starters again

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SAN ANTONIO –The Rockets will take a second look at their two-center lineup with Dwight Howard and Omer Asik both starting against the Spurs. They just won’t know whether they will see how that works against Tim Duncan or his backups.

Duncan played 24 minutes against the Magic on Tuesday and could be due for a preseason night off. The Rockets, however, said there is plenty to achieve from working on their own execution regardless of the opponent.

“That part doesn’t matter for us,” Rockets center Dwight Howard said. “It’s what we do. We still have to go out there and do what we do. It will be good for us to get those reps together, to play with each other. This will be the second game with both of us starting. It’s a little bit different for us, but I think we’ll make it work.”

Howard has no quarrel with players taking preseason nights off, having skipped some games in previous seasons. With the Rockets, however, he said they needed as much time on the floor together as possible.

“I’ve done it in the past in previous seasons,” Howard said before Thursday night’s preseason game against the Spurs. “Our coach would give us a game off toward the end of the preseason, but I understand since we’re all new, since I’m new to this team, he (Rockets coach Kevin McHale) really wants me and the guys on this team to get acclimated as soon as possible. Also, for me to get in really good shape for the start of the season. I understand the reason he has me playing a lot of these games. Maybe when I get 40, get 10, 12 more years.”

The Spurs, who have 12 players including all five starters back from last season’s Finals team, are 3-3 in the preseason. Duncan has played in five games.

“The Spurs have been playing great all preseason,” Howard said. “They have been scoring a lot of points. Those young guys are really playing great. They’re really on a mission to get back to the Finals. It will be a great test for us. We understand that we have to knock those guys down in order to be Western Conference champs.”